Birth Control Pills

What is the Birth Control Pill? ¹¹  The birth control pill is any drug which uses artificial hormones to keep a woman from getting pregnant or from staying pregnant by interfering with her normal fertility.

What it is...
There are several types of the Pill on the market, but they basically break down into two groups: combination pills and progestrin-only “mini-pill.”²

The combination type contains two artificial steroids that mimic the effects of naturally occurring hormones, estrogen and progesterone. Some pills work in a “monophasic” way, keeping the dosage of hormones the same throughout the pill cycle. Others work in a biphasic or triphasic manner which alters the dosage of artificial hormones two or three times respectively through the cycle of pills, attempting to produce fluctuations similar to what a fertile woman would undergo naturally.

The progestin-only “minipill” uses only one artificial hormone, progestin, which is a steroid that has a progestational effect similar to natural progesterone.

What it does…  
Suppresses Ovulation
Both pills act to prevent the release of an egg from the ovary (ovulation). However, women can and do experience breakthrough ovulation – meaning that an egg is released from the ovary and is available to be fertilized by the sperm.

Prevents Fertilization
Both types of pills also cause the cervical mucus to thicken, making it difficult for the sperm to reach the egg. It is possible, though, for the sperm to break through the mucus and to fertilize the egg.

Inhibits Implantation
Both types of pills change the lining of the uterus. This makes it difficult, if not impossible, for the five –to-seven-day-old baby to attach to the lining of the uterus, where it would receive the nourishment needed to grow. If the baby does not successfully attach to the lining of the uterus, he/she dies and is expelled from the body during menstruation. This process is known as a chemical abortion and is why the Pill is referred to as an abortifacient.

The lower the dosage of the pill, the more likely it is to work by causing a chemical abortion. Other birth control methods that cause chemical abortions (abortifacients):

• All Hormonal Contraceptives
• Depo-Provera (the shot)
• The IUD
• Ortho-Evra (the patch)
• Norplant
• Nuva ring
• “Emergency” contraception (Morning-After Pill, Plan B)

Important warnings:
There are possible side effects with the use of any type of birth control pill:

• Cycle irregularities: bleeding or spotting mid-cycle, changes in menstrual flow, and even loss of menstruation.
• Painful menstruation (dysmenorrheal)
• Headaches; migraines
• Depression
• Decrease of sex drive
• Abdominal cramps
• Bloating, weight gain or loss, and water retention
• Nausea; vomiting
• Not effective against sexually transmitted infections
• And more…